The federal government has announced that it will be creating an external board of civilian advisors to increase and strengthen oversight of RCMP management.
The move is being made to improve the way the force deals with bullying and harassment.
Whether the changes will improve the way complaints within the RCMP are handled remains to be seen. What is known is that RCMP officers, including those serving in this region, have the right to expect that their workplace will be free of harassment and bullying.
Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale said the government is creating the new board in part in response to recommendations coming out of two recent reports into RCMP workplace harassment.
"We want to ensure a safe and healthy workplace, where instances of harassment simply don't happen, because the culture has changed," Goodale said. “This (new board) is an innovation in the structure of the RCMP that has never existed before in 145 years.”
The new interim 13-member civilian management board will provide advice and support to the government in regards to dealing with workplace complaint cases involving the RCMP, he said.
Although the board is being formed on an interim basis, the government is expected to introduce legislation to make it permanent.
Reports by former auditor general Sheila Fraser and by the Civilian Review and Complaints Commission each called for an increase in civilian oversight of the RCMP.
Fraser examined the cases of four RCMP members who sued over allegations of workplace harassment. She reportedly found that the force's management did not adequately address the concerns.
“The message is that harassment is not taken seriously by senior management,” Fraser said.
RCMP officers working in this region continue to undertake vital and sometimes dangerous work, keeping residents and the community at large safe and secure.
As such, while the creation of this new civilian oversight board is welcome news, the federal government and its stakeholder partners should and must also continue to provide adequate support and backing for all RCMP officers.
Dan Singleton is the Mountain View Gazette editor.
